Malaysia murder case suspect drinks poison

Police taking Sivashangari's body away from the budget hotel where she was found murdered.

IPOH - A man believed to be involved in the death of his sister-in-law at a budget hotel in Kelana Jaya, Petaling Jaya, tried to commit suicide by drinking poison.

Police arrested the 26-year-old suspect in a public toilet near the market in Teluk Intan, said Hilir Perak OCPD Asst Comm Goh Kok Liang.

He said the man had drunk a bottle of poison inside a toilet at about 4.30pm on Tuesday.

The man had gone to the market to find his mother, who works as an attendant there, before entering the toilet.

The mother then heard the sound of a bottle falling and went in to find her son vomiting, ACP Goh said.

"We have taken statements from the suspect. He admitted to buying the poison from a hardware shop in Kelana Jaya on Monday," he added. ACP Goh said the suspect, who was in stable condition and being treated at the hospital, had three previous convictions.

He was arrested and charged with attempted robberies in 2005 and 2007.

He was also charged with rioting.

"He is now wanted for a murder in Kelana Jaya," ACP Goh added.

On Tuesday, A. Sivashangari, 22, was found dead and naked in a budget hotel in Kelana Jaya. She had registered at the hotel with a male friend at about 4pm on Monday. Sivashangari was found with strangulation marks on her neck.

Sources said that Sivashangari, who worked as a cashier at a spa, was discovered by her sister and hotel staff at about 4pm on Tuesday.

The sister had earlier received a call from her husband allegedly confessing to the killing. The 26-year-old man, who works at a pub in Sri Hartamas, Kuala Lumpur, allegedly also told his wife that he had decided to commit suicide.